Chrysanthemum coronarium
| Chrysanthemum coronarium | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Height: | 4' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Chrysanthemum coronarium (common name: chop-suey greens)
Propagation: Seed - surface-sow in spring to early autumn in situ. The seed usually germinates within 10 - 18 days at 15°c[1]. Successional sowings can be made at intervals of a few weeks in order to ensure a constant supply of young plants[1]. Autumn sowings succeed in mild areas[2]. An autumn sowing under cover will often supply leaves all winter[1].
Cultivation: Succeeds in ordinary garden soil[3], but it prefers a well-drained fertile soil in full sun[4][1]. It will tolerate light shade in the summer[1]. Tolerates a pH in the range 5.2 to 7.5.
Plants do not grow well at temperatures above 25°c, tending to become bitter in hot weather[1]. Plants withstand light frosts[1].
Whilst this species is often grown as an ornamental in the West, in the Orient the variety C. coronarium spatiosum L.H.Bailey is comonly cultivated as a vegetable[4]. This variety is treated separately. There are many named varieties[5]. It takes 4 - 5 weeks from sowing the seed to the first harvest when plants are grown on the cut and come again principle[1].
Plants often self-sow when they are well-sited and the soil is disturbed by hoeing etc[K].
Range: S. Europe.
Habitat: Cultivated ground and waste places[6].
Edibility: Young shoots and stems - raw or cooked[7][8][9][10][11]. Strongly aromatic[5][4].
Flowers - raw[11]. Blanched briefly and added to salads[5]. The centre of the flower is bitter so only the petals are normally used[1].
Medicinal: The leaves are expectorant and stomachic[12]. In conjunction with black pepper it is used in the treatment of gonorrhoea[13].
The flowers are aromatic, bitter and stomachic[13]. They are used as a substitute for camomile (Chamaemelum nobile)[13].
The bark is purgative, it is used in the treatment of syphilis[13].
Usage: Possibly a good companion plant, protecting neighbouring plants from caterpillars etc[Gardener's World][28/04/89]. There is a report that secretions from the roots can be effective in controlling nematodes in the soil, but this has not been substantiated[1].
Pollinators: Bees, flies, beetles, lepidoptera, self
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Late Summer-Mid Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Larkcom, Joy. Oriental Vegetables. John Murray, 1991.
- ↑ Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ Nicholson, Barbara and Stephen Harrison. The Oxford Book of Food Plants. Oxford University Press, 1975.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Oriental Herbs and Vegetables, Vol 39 No. 2. Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1986.
- ↑ Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.